Extreme Temperatures
by Anlynne
Summary: Rich and poor. Pale and dark. Cold and hot. Both immortal.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Never Forever

Every existence on the planet wanted to meet their soul mate. People craved a one-of-a-kind connection, a die-for-you love. Hence billions in the dating markets. Hence petty divorces.

Alice Cullen wished everyone would ask one question before wishing on pretty stars for a true love: What would you do if the person your heart was made for, died? In her case, the question would be rephrased. What would you do if the reason for your existing left?

She knew from the beginning, from her first vision that she would be with Jasper, the scarred vampire soldier, but only for a short while. Their relationship, unlike their lives, was not meant to last forever. With that knowledge they made the best out of each others company. Alice loved him like she would never love anyone ever again. In the deepest parts of her, she hoped that her visions were a lie, that something would change.

Every day for the past fifty years, Alice would stand in front of her full-length mirror. It was not in the same way her sister Rosalie did, it was not in vanity. She would merely stare at herself, with no smile.

Since she had met Jasper in that diner lifetimes ago, she had made herself as easy to be with as possible. He was sensitive to emotions to say the least, and in his defense (or offense if he so chose) he could manipulate them. He was the southern gentlemen though, and used his gift carefully. In return, she did everything to be light and happy. That was not to say that she had never been so. A consistent compliment in her life had been her bubbly nature, but sometimes, she did not feel bubbly. She wanted to be whatever she felt like being at the time, but she couldn't do that to him.

Alice couldn't see her life without him, couldn't imagine how to go on without him beside her. She couldn't recall her human life, and his face was the first face she saw when she woke. He was her destiny, but destinies could change, and they did. Nonetheless, she had to make his life better, to show him a different way of living. If she saved one life, then hers was not wasted.

Eventually, Jasper caught on to what she had been doing, and he left for Cambridge University. Yes, she saw it coming. No, it did not make her happy.

She packed his belongings before he had even told her, setting all eight suitcases in the trunk of his black car. Her dead heart was breaking, and when he drove up on his motorcycle, she handed him his plane tickets, his class schedule, and the directions to the new house, all of which was planned two weeks in advance.

Neither of them said a word. They never had to. On the tips of her toes, she stretched to hug him, and he complied, bending to pick her up by the waist. She inhaled the magnolia scent of his battle-marred skin and sunshine hair as he kissed her lips a last time.

Jasper left, and the countless hours passed. Still as a statue carved in sorrow, she stood out there in front of the large house of her adopted family. For once, she felt she didn't belong.

The sun set, the bright colors of orange and pink fading into dark blue. Twilight. Jasper's flight was taking off.

He would have an easier time on the plane. She devised it that way. He was not the most controlled vampire, and an enclosed space with humans spelled trouble. She did right, however, she had seen him stepping off the terminal with no problem, his eyes as vegetarian gold as they were when he boarded. As much comfort as that brought her, it sent her into bitter agony that he had gone at all. She _saw_ his decision, but she wished it had been different. She wished she was _wrong_.

The stars showed and her hunger grew from twilight's reprieve. The hunger was nothing like the anguish she was feeling. On the outside a person would think she was in shock, but perhaps she was afraid if she did in fact move, she would literally fall apart. There was nothing keeping her together.

Her bear of a brother joined her in the last hour, his large hand on her shoulder. They both peered forward at the trees, the tracks through them; the only proof Jasper had been there.

Without permission, Emmett threw her over his shoulder, a light bounce in his steps, several fast ones as he went up the porch stairs, then a hasty jerk. Her head lolled like a rag doll.

The house was dark, not a light on. The only times they were was when Bella, (Edward's human girlfriend) was there. None of them needed light to see.

"I'll take her," Edward said from the sofa.

She was then passed from one brother to another. Edward cradled her to his chest as he ascended the staircase. Instead of taking her to her room (the one she used to share with Jasper) he carried her to his, lying her on the large bed meant for Bella.

Surrounded in freesia mists, Alice closed her eyes. It wasn't in useless hopes of sleep, but in the closest thing that she could come to solace at that moment. It was a bonus that she rather not see the emptiness that her former mate left behind, not just in their home but in her heart.

Soon, the sonnet that Edward composed for her began playing on his stereo system. The light tinkle of the ivory keys, jumpy and sweet. It soothed her, like he knew it would.

Though she loved her family, Edward was her favorite sibling. Thanks to his mind-reading he shared her visions, and he understood. They had a special relationship that she loved. She wasn't close to anyone the way she was to him. There wasn't much need to be spoken between them and they both loved that.

Against her arm Edward leaned. She looked past his copper hair to the thick medical book he held. He flipped the pages in time to the music. He could have been reading that fast, or he could have been giving her a bit of solitude without leaving the room.

_Thank you_, she thought gratefully, and he nodded.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Alice's Hell

In the curved bay window, Alice sat, months later. She watched the stream of water rush over the rocks, cutting slightly into the woods. She listened to the should-be calming melody, the song the birds sung in harmony. She smelled the apple pie Esme bought for Bella, as well as the repelling scent of the cardboard box it came in.

Alice tried to focus on her assaulted senses, but she couldn't help but tense, waiting for a vision of Jasper calling her, but in his future there were endless lines of school work, homework, and books. He never thought of her the way she thought of him.

Fifty years together as mates, and there they were, thousands of miles away from each other. She couldn't bring herself not to miss him. There was his sweet scent, his confident smile, his knowing gaze, and she missed it all, every bit of it. What was wrong with being happy?

"Pretending that you were," Edward answered for her.

In the corner of her expansive mind, she had registered hearing her brother and soon-to-be-sister pulling in front of the house. She didn't respond, she couldn't muster a smile. In such a short time, she had gone from one extreme to another.

"Alice." Bella spoke her name softly. Without any concern to approaching a depressed vampire, she sat beside her. "I'm sorry. Can I do anything?"

Her first thought was no, but then, she had an idea. "May I borrow your motorcycle?"

She paused in surprise. "Sure, Alice."

"Rosalie tweaked it last week," Edward informed darkly. He hated anything that put Bella in danger, and not being fond of motorcycles in the first place, their mechanical sister had improved ones speed for his human.

"That's perfect," Alice said. Like the rest of the Cullens, she hated driving slow.

She strolled to the garage and climbed lithesome onto Bella's old bike. She moved her hands over the rubber-covered handles recalling how Jasper loved his sleek silver one. She jumped, revved, and sped out.

Dirt kicked up into dust, surrounding her like a shield. Her spiky black hair flew behind her, pushing the bike to its limits. Even with Rosalie's help, the thing was decrepit and slow, but she wasn't speeding for the reason that her best friend did - or at one crazier time had. She just wanted a piece of Jasper .She never rode with him, though he asked. She had been too preoccupied with her designing. She regretted that.

The vision could have been self-prophesying. The vision showed Jasper leaving and therefore she made no effort to keep him. It was not the future's fault or her visions fault, it was her own. At least, that is what she feared was true.

As she neared a bend in the road she was blinded by the sight of Bella. She was screaming, horrified and heartbroken, her translucent face splattered in blood. Her own blood, someone elses, it was impossible to tell, but then, it flickered out like an old film. When Alice regained her sight it was too late, her front tire colliding into something that was screeching to a sudden halt, her knuckles denting metal. Her gray and white newsboy hat flew off as she flipped onto what she saw to be a red hood, it forming to her shape, not harming her granite body.

The glaring sun cascaded on her, revealing her face into a spray of sparkles. Shaking the vision away, she looked to her right, through the windshield. She would simply hate having to kill however it was. She made her fair share of slip-ups in her vampire existence, but she wouldn't allow herself a meal based on an accident.

However, seeing the man that hit her erased all ideals of murder and most especially eating. The very person (creature) that hit her smelled God-awful, and she knew from Edward's tales who it was.

Jacob Black sat stunned behind the wheel, his dark eyes locked on her golden ones. He peered at her in a way no one - not even Jasper - had before. He was lit from the inside out, and it burned her in the most delicious way. She came alive, somehow, in some way. Threads of her mysterious past were clipped, Jasper, her family, her designs, her whole world, and all that was left was a pull to the man that would not break their connective stare. The world had shifted, and it revolved around him.

The part of her that had been gone for only a few months, the sunshine rays inside of her were beaming again. She was gleeful, and it was an odd sort of bubbling. She felt the way she should have with Jasper.

She snapped her gaze to the baby blue sky. Something had happened in that split second, but the clarity of the sun did not change anything. Her body was still whirring in an odd way. She had never felt that before. She remembered Bella and Edward talking about imprinting. That must have been what it was, unless the dog had more powers than they gave him credit for. Yet, no, magic didn't exist, no matter how set Bella was on him being pure magic.

Jacob Black was her soul mate? He imprinted on her? The thought was not as disgusting and horrifying as it should have been, the way she imagined it would be. It was strangely freeing. Jacob Black was her wolf.

When she returned to him, he was seething, his bright white teeth bared. He growled as he got out, storming in front of her. "Way to go, leech!"

She wrinkled her nose against his wet-dog odor, though it didn't seem to bother her the way that it should have. In fact, she was very aware of the game that he was playing with her, and she played it back.

"I think I did you a favor." She waved her hand over the chipping paint. "It's the worst color of red too. Burgundy?" She shook her head in despair.

"Get. Off. My. Car." His tone lacked menace.

Daintily she shrugged, hopping down. "You should watch where you're going."

"You're the one who was in my lane."

"Hmph," she huffed, smoothing her hair and clothes.

"Great argument, bloodsucker."

"Were you going to see Bella?"

"What's it to you?"

"Tell her I'll buy her a new bike. A better one than she had."

That was when he took a good look at what he had hit, his mouth parting in offense at the mangled metal. "This - this is the bike I fixed!"

"Rosalie made improvements," she bragged.

He rounded on her. Nearing six foot five, he towered over her, but he didn't scare her, and now that they had a change in fates, she would never be scared of him. "Why were you driving it?"

"She loaned it to me. It's none of your business either way, Jacob Black." She picked up what was left of he vehicle and tossed it to the side of the road. Again, the dog growled.

"You have some nerve, psychic."

Her lips stretched, her mind remembering, but her body unaccustomed to the feel. She was smiling, her back turned vulnerably to what used to be her worst enemy.

"Alice," he breathed.

He had never called her by her name before. The game was over. She turned to him. "Jacob?"

He held out his arms, as if knowing her most inward desire.

She jumped into his arms then. His hellish heat blanketed her, but it was intimate and beautiful. He was her hell, everything that was bad for her, and everything she wanted.

His lips landed on hers, an overwhelming smoky taste, as if they were on fire. She felt as though she would burst from the seams, that nothing could stop her. She was at the highest peak in the world, the whitest cloud. Every sadness that was inside of her, melted from at the touch of his lips.

Time was lost, and years could have past when he leaned back, her face between his large hands. "I can't believe it's you." He shook his head, "it doesn't make any sense. You're poison to me."

He meant that literally. If she bit him, it would kill him. That mere thought sent her insides in spasms.

"I won't hurt you."

"I know."

She backed out of his embrace, the memory of her vision itching its way forward. She could see it, past the shining happiness she found in him. "Jacob... I have to go home."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"I'll find out when I'm there."

"I'll come with you."

"No. Not yet. I want to tell them alone." It wasn't for his safety, she doubted that any of the Cullen's would start a war over it, but it would be easier telling them rather than them witnessing it first hand.

"At least tell me what's wrong, Ali."

Ali. She smiled at the sweet nickname. No one had called her that before. "Ali?" She raised her brow at him.

He smiled a brilliant smile. "You look like an Ali to me."

"Let me find out," she said.

"See me later?"

"Right here."

He squeezed her hand, and released her, ducking inside of his car as she started towards the woods.

He was hot, she was cold. He was poor, she was rich. He was dark, she was pale. He was a werewolf, she was a vampire. They were immortal - mortal enemies, but not anymore.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

What They're Made For

Alice ran home, and despite her speed she felt it wasn't adequate. She had to warn someone _then - and_ Edward specifically. As soon as she was in range of his ability, he would get the message. It would be in no time at all.

The image of Bella, bloodied and screaming... It tore at her. Examining the scene she found that she couldn't see anything behind her but trees. In respect, it _was_ Forks, Washington. It was made of trees. Bella could have been anywhere in that vision.

Then there was the question of whose blood it was. It frightened her that she saw Bella's complexion a sickly gray, giving the notion that it was her blood. Although the clumsy girl was prone to bleeding, her face was never covered in it. The vision was blurred and if there was a wound, a gash, she didn't see it.

She could hear Edward's new composition playing out on the piano, but it ended instantly when he received the vision that she was adamantly thinking of. In less than a second he was standing in front of her, at the edge of their property, in the woods.

Edward's eyes, bordering on a hungry black, bored into hers. He was drowning in worry. He looked wild.

"Edward. I'm sorry..." Alice tugged at the end of her raven hair, sucking in a deep and unneeded breath.

"We'll have to figure something out."

If anyone deserved to know what happened, it was Bella, but Edward was Alice's brother, and he had to come first. In case Bella didn't take it well...

Edward saw everything in her mind, the captioned images of the accident she was in, of Jacob and her, and their kiss (for clarification). When the scene faded, Edward's face was glaring down at her.

"The dog imprinted on you." He was waiting for confirmation.

"Yes."

"I guess murdering him would be out of the question."

Alice gave a short laugh. "It would be appreciated if it stayed out of question, brother." She would like to keep her reason for existing, alive.

He flinched at those thoughts, not comfortable with the idea of his little sister being the soul mate of someone who used to be an enemy. It was wrong, in more ways than one.

"I know of the dangers, Edward. It's not a choice."

"Unfortunately." He looked to the door. "If I may, I must see Bella."

"Watch her closely."

"I always try."

When the door closed, Alice walked to the far wall, a window looking out on their backyard, the stream and trees. She didn't see any of it, not really, she thought of the that vision that haunted the corners of her mind. Bella, traumatized, or dying. Maybe both. And she couldn't see anything else to help prevent it. She was helpless to that clip, and she never felt so weak in her whole "life." She felt useless.

Instead of sulking, she ran out of the house, back through the woods to rejoin her new mate. What she saw in the road startled her still.

Against the hood of the car was Jacob and her brother, Emmett. They were laughing, Emmett playfully jabbing Jacob's shoulder.

"What's going on here," Alice asked lightly.

Emmett let out a booming laugh, jabbing his thumb in Jacob's direction. "I like this mutt."

She skipped to Jacob's side, and he bent down to kiss the top of her head. It was synchronized perfectly, as if they had done it a million times.

"This bloodsucker tried to run me over in that monster he calls a jeep. Think he's compensating for something?"

"Hey, this is a preview to the goods."

Alice smiled, but soon it set into a frown. "There's a problem," she felt Jacob tense next to her, but she went on. "The last vision I had was of Bella, she was..." She narrowed her eyes, and though the tears would never come, she felt its sting. "She was bloody and screaming."

"You couldn't see where she was at," Jacob asked, the sinews of his arms tightening in worry for his best friend.

"No, there was just blackness behind her."

Emmett strolled to his jeep, extracting a clipped newspaper article from the front seat. He handed it to her.

**DEATH TOLL ON THE RISE,**

**POLICE FEAR GANG ACTIVITY**

"It's getting worse," she muttered to herself. She had seen the papers many times, and in a back of her mind, past the haziness of her depression, she recalled her family speaking of it. She saw cut images of an army of vampires. She didn't need to speak of it, because Edward saw it all. He became the psychic in the house, taking on her role with compassion.

Jacob shook worse than ever, and she touched her arm against his in attempt to calm. "What do we do?"

"We talk to Carlisle," she said. "We'll have to call Jasper, too." Her cell was to her ear, ringing to Jasper's phone.

Jacob reached over and snatched it from her, closing the lid with a sharp snap. "Out of the question. I know who he is."

"He's adept at handling wars. It's his background."

"He's your ex."

"This isn't about past indiscretions, Jacob."

"Forget it," Emmett spoke up. "We can do this without them. How big is the pack now, J?"

"Sixteen."

He grinned widely. "Perfect. No problem, we'll take them out like that," he snapped his fingers indicating the speed.

Alice felt that dreaded emotion again. Uncertainty. She didn't know how many vampires there were, when they would attack, or what it was that they wanted. What if they were outnumbered or taken by surprise? Why couldn't she see that?

"How many could there be," Jacob asked, echoing her thoughts.

Emmett glimpsed at her. "We don't know, but they sound like a small army."

"Right. Nothing we can't handle. Sounds like fun."

That was it, then. That was why she couldn't see the war. Wherever Alice would be, Jacob wouldn't be far. As soon as Emmett mentioned there was a vampire army near them, Jacob made his decision to go.

"I'll have to talk with the pack first, get them in on it, and we'll take out this army." He kissed Alice, pressing hard on her lips. "You deal with your coven, I'll deal with my pack, and we'll all meet up later. You're not leaving us out of this, Alice. It's what we're _made_ for."

She wrinkled her nose, but not against any smell. She wrinkled her nose out of frustration. Like human food on her tongue, it was a bad taste in her mind. She felt that they were all in more danger than they realized. She refused to think it was only her worry caused by lack of visions. If she couldn't see it, she couldn't trust it.

She couldn't trust anything anymore. Nothing but Jacob and her family.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Acceptance

Given that the Cullen's were only interested in fast food (as Emmett liked to put it), they used the kitchen table as a conference area. Carlisle was at the end, Esme on his right, their hands clasped. Their children filled the rest of the seats. Except for one that was meant for Jasper.

Edward caught Alice's gaze on the empty seat. "Rosalie called him. He should be here in the morning."

"I fear it will be too late," Carlisle voiced. "We don't know when these newborns will attack."

"Someone created them," Rosalie pointed out. "They're taking directions from someone."

It was at that point that Alice would offer a piece of information. She would be purposefully looking into the future and telling them everything that she saw. She had never felt more ineffectual when she wasn't able to do what she always had been doing.

In a house full of vampires, tensions and temperaments could run high. It was Jasper who kept everyone calm, everyone in control. It was her that kept everyone safe, seeing ahead to what would happen, to who would visit and if they would be a danger to them. Jasper was gone, and so were her visions. They were helpless to the fate of the world.

"You are not to be incriminated for this, Alice. Your guilt is entirely unnecessary." Edward's reassurance.

The family looked to her sympathetically.

"Working with the wolves would be beneficial for all of us."

"You've got to be kidding," Rosalie sneered.

"It's not a bad idea," Edward countered. "They are wolves to kill us, but because of Bella being human and Alice being Jacob's mate, they won't hurt us. Their law decrees that they must protect humans, and not hurt pack member's mate. We're safe, but they wouldn't turn down the chance to kill others like us. That's a good plan. Flawless."

"Sounds good to me," Emmett pounded his fist into his hand. "The more the merrier."

Edward didn't have to read Alice's mind to read her compunction. "Go to Jacob," he said. "We will call you immediately if there is any news. We'll choose a date to meet with the wolves when Jasper has arrived."

She stood, but Bella had leaned forward, and Alice braced herself for whatever she was going to say. She hadn't had time to talk with Bella, and she had no idea what her reaction would be to the imprinting from her best friend.

"Alice..."

"Yes, Bella?"

"I'm... Happy for you. And Jacob. I am. Really."

Alice looked into her eyes to determine if there was a grain of truth there. It wasn't hard, given that Bella couldn't lie her way out of an exam, much less anything so eminent. But there was complete honesty in her returned gaze, and Alice couldn't say that she was surprised. In all her years she learned that when someone truly loved another, they were happy, even if in an outward way, they wanted that person to be happy. Most of all, Bella loved them both.

"Thank you."

Esme's topaz eyes shined. "We love you, no matter what."

"No matter if it's a stinky dog." Emmett grinned widely.

"Your happiness is what matters," Carlisle said, "we're your family. We'll accept whatever is best for you."

Alice knew it all to be true. Esme was not phased when Edward fell in love with Bella, because she waited a long time for him to be happy. It didn't matter if he fell in love with a giant octopus.

Emmett liked Jacob. They were all vegetarian, Edward could read minds and she used to be able to see the future, but neither of them were as weird as their brother, Emmett. He was singularly unabashed by his fondness for the fur balls on La Push. There was no telling why that was, other than Emmett had kept several dogs in his human life, and he was genuinely laid back about every thing. Nothing ever bothered him.

Her family did want her happy, whoever it was with. She was sure they were tired of her unhappiness. A few more months and she would contemplate striking out on her own, becoming a nomad. She would have been untraceable, untouchable, and she would have never seen the Cullen's again. Jacob had truly changed everything.

"_Accept what's best for her,_" Rosalie snapped mockingly.

So much for the _whole_ family being okay with it.

"He's a wolf. This is worse than what Edward fell in love with."

"Watch it, Rose," Edward breathed deeply as Bella tangled her fingers on the table with nervous anticipation.

Rosalie shook her head, playing with the end of one of her golden curls. Emmett held her waist pulling her to him. He winked at Alice in a way to say that it was not bad, four out of five.

Alice bowed and made her way to the garage for her perfect sunshine Porsche, courtesy of her brother, Edward.

She slid into the leather seat and took out her phone. She knew of a nice hotel just outside of Seattle. Jacob didn't know that she was making reservations, but he didn't have to. She was assuming (and hoping) that he wasn't like Bella when it came to expenses. How much did the money matter when they were going to spend time together? That was worth any cost.

Just as she closed the phone, "stinky dog" shined on her caller I.D. with the ringtone that yelled, "who let the dogs out."

She had taken his number out of Edward's phone nearly a year ago for emergency. It was unlikely she ever needed to speak to the mutt, but for the same reason Edward had it, she needed to be able to call in about Bella. Stranger things had happened than vampires calling wolves about a clumsy human, and one specifically came to her mind. A wolf imprinting on a vampire.

She allowed herself to laugh, unsure that even with the love that surpassed all loves, she was unlikely to change the demeaning I.D. and ringtone.

"Jacob? How did it go?" Would she ever tire of asking such _normal_ and _mundane_ questions?

"They're disgusted."

She laughed. "They agreed to meet with the wolves."

"The pack, too." He gave her the location of where the wolves and the vampires could meet, and she gave him the location of where he was to meet her.

"A hotel? What do you have up your sleeve, pixie?"

"You'll see," she sung and started her car, it purring to life. Her baby.

"Hey, Al. Is there any chance I'll get to drive that thing?"  
She grinned. "Meet me tonight, and you'll get to do more than that." She heard him growl, not threateningly, but in a way a man was enjoying sweet torture. She hung up before he could gather himself to respond with words.

She was going to enjoy giving him more of that kind of torture.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Garage Grease and Red Eyes

It wasn't the best hotel that she had ever stayed in, but it was the best one in a hundred mile radius. She couldn't venture too far from home when her and Jacob needed to be in the woods tomorrow night.

She was dreading it. She was only slightly worried at not being able to see the army that was approaching. No, her greater worry lied with the desire to keep Jacob and Jasper both alive. Where the vampire army was to kill them, they would kill each other first. Hell, putting past their innate nature to off the other, Jasper still loved her, and he would protect her. She knew that better than she did before. It was clearer when she wasn't sinking in her depression. It was clear that Jasper protecting her would get in the way of Jacob protecting her. She would spend her time trying to stop a fight between allies than fighting the enemy, and who knew - more than she should - who would die. A battle in the battle. Would the three of them survive?

She waited inside the hotel on a stool at the bar. She held her glass, pretending to sip daintily from it. The attendant was attempting to gain her attention, bending over frequently to arrange the glasses, flexing his muscles to clean out one in his hand, but her attention was directed to the noise of the cars outside. She listened for one particular junky old Rabbit.

The action brought her back decades ago when she was sitting at a bar in a diner, awaiting for what would be her lover.

She heard the said junky old Rabbit, and without looking up, heard and smelled Jacob coming through the door. She then hopped down, and ran and jumped into his arms. Her feet swung from the floor as he spun her around.

The attendant grumbled.

"I missed you, Ali."

"I've missed you too, Jake."

"Hotel, huh?" He looked around at the elegant paintings and the tuxes the employees were wearing, and he looked down at his t-shirt stained with grease from the garage.

On her tip toes she stretched up and wiped a black smear on his cheek with her thumb. "I think you look great." For once, Alice didn't see the clothes, she saw her mate. He stood there strong and handsome, and he was pure sunshine.

"Who cares. Where's our room?"

She giggled, appreciative that he was going along with her.

"I love your laugh. It's like fairy's bells or something."

She took his hand, and led him to the elevator. "This will be fun."

"I'm sure it will," he mumbled into her hair as the doors closed.

When they opened again, this time to their suite, Alice and Jacob were entangled, his hands at the side of her head, kissing her full on the mouth. She wrapped her legs around his waist as she undid the numerous buttons she had on her blouse. She would have let him tear it off, because Alice didn't wear anything more than once.

Jacob growled and groaned into her mouth, and she scratched his shoulders and chest, knowing that any damage would quickly repair itself without a trace of a scar (something she was never able to do with Jasper). She loved his wolf blood.

They fell into the bed, Jacob hovering over her. She wasn't going to have that, and with determination and domination she flipped them over, her bearing down over him, her teeth at his ear, but he didn't so much as flinch. He trusted her completely, and it warmed her dead heart.

Carefully, she licked the lobe, tracing it, her hands moving down over his well-defined chest and stomach. She pushed herself into him, his scalding arms moving over her back.

"Alice..."

She looked into his eyes.

"I love you."

"I know." She kissed his lips. "I love you, too."

They enjoyed themselves. Over, and over, and over again.

* * *

Hours later Jacob was in a fit of sleep. His snoring reduced to moans and growls. His feet kicked, tangling the thin sheet around them. Alice wished for one second that she had her brother's talent. She would have loved to know what he was dreaming about. It would be nice, to partake in something that her lover experienced and one that she never would.

There was a great snort, and Jacob sat straight, and glared at her. He was glowering, as if she had done the most despicable thing.

"What's wrong, Jake?" Alice pranced over, despite the threat that was in his demeanor.

He inspected her cheek, his fists relaxing at his sides. He relaxed and fell back against the pillows. "Terrible dream," he muttered.

"You were kicking a lot." She sat next to his hip on the bed. "Tell me about it?"

He didn't give an answer right away, debating on whether or not to tell her. "We were married."

Alice laughed. "That's a nightmare? I see how you see me then, Jacob Black."

"No," he said seriously, taking her hand. "You came home with red eyes."

She nodded, understanding. "What if I did, Jacob?"

He stiffened, his hand crushing hers. "You wouldn't do that."

"Oh, Jacob. You chastened Bella over and over for trusting us the way she does, and you're doing it too. You said it yourself, we're monsters. We can slip up at any time. And I have slipped, I'm not perfect. Six years ago I did. There was a woman -"

"I don't want to hear it," he snarled. "You are perfect."

"Jacob -"

"I'm a werewolf, Alice. My duty is to protect humans..."

"From creatures like me," she finished for him. She felt sadness creep inside of her rib cage, a sadness that he wouldn't understand. He may have imprinted, but they were what they were. They were enemies. "I think we have more problems than we thought, Jacob."

"We don't have problems, I've imprinted on you."

"That doesn't solve what we are. We are opposites. You're a werewolf, I'm a vampire. You're hot, I'm cold. You protect, I kill. We have nothing in common, Jacob. You work on cars, I work on clothes."

"We both love our families. We both love Bella. We both protect in our own way. We both see the glass half full. Only mine is orange juice and yours is blood."

She leaned into him.

"We have to learn to get through our differences."

She beamed, happy that someone shared her hopefulness for the future. "Yes."

"If you come home with blood on your face and in your eyes, then we will get through it. I can't protect every human and you can't stop being who you are. But we'll try to protect every one we can." His eyes gleamed. "Especially Bella."

"Then we must go. They'll be meeting at the woods soon."

He glanced at the clock on the nightstand, it's red numbers reflecting in his eyes. It gave the strange illusion that for one second, he was a vampire, too. A dark one. "We'll be late."

She dangled her clinking keys in front of his face. "We won't be. I'm driving."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Always the Soldier

Jacob was at complete ease in the passenger's seat. He kept himself occupied by examining every inch in front of him, from the dashboard, to the controls underneath the seat. More than once he asked to drive, but while he was nearly invincible himself, she had clearer vision, and a slightly quicker reaction time. She would never tell him that, of course.

Alice veered off the road and up to her house nestled deep into the woods that her and Jacob would run through to meet their family. She beamed at him at the wood's edge. "Do you want me to carry you?"

He guffawed. "No, I'll change." And he began stripping off his jeans.

While she was tempted to admire what was hers, she stared straight ahead into the woods. They didn't need to be late, after all. Ahead of them was the beginning. She would soon see for her very eyes how it was going to be, the merging of two families.

There was a loud ripping noise, the sound of Jacob's human growl shifting into the animalistic version. And there was Jacob, in his wolf skin, as beautiful as when he was a man. He bowed down to allow her on his back. She understood, he ran faster than her. It was an odd feeling, for only Edward ever ran faster than she was capable.

She climbed on, her fingers moving through the fur on his neck in a comfortable, yet tight, grip, hugging him with her knees. She moved her mouth to his pointed ear. "Ready, wolf-boy?" And he set off.

It was exhilarating. It was better than being in her Porsche going two hundred miles an hour. It was better than anything, to feel Jacob's muscles flex and move beneath her. It was the best place to be. Her new favorite place.

She wasn't done enjoying the ride, but they reached their destination Jacob slowed to a trot, to a stop. His pack and her coven at opposite ends of the clearing. It wasn't due to her infallible memory that she would always remember the look on their families faces, but due to that it would be the first memory of her new life that she would hold of them.

Edward's face was smooth and it would have been unreadable if she hadn't known him as well as she did. She could tell he was having mixed feelings. He wanted to support and trust her, but there was the underlining protectiveness and the distaste and distrust he had for the pack.

Emmett was joyful, but Rosalie was disgusted. Rosalie hadn't turned her nose up so high since Alice had foreseen Edward falling in love with Bella. In fact, it wasn't nearly as high as it was then. It was one thing, falling in love with a meal; another falling in love with a wolf. They were much farther from being related by species.

Carlisle and Esme simply looked worried. The parents of a daughter who was dating a dangerous rebel. Alice couldn't understand a parent's worries, but she could understand why they were worried, and she felt the need for them to know that it went both ways and that was clear by the pack's reaction.

It was there in the wolves eyes, the aversion to what had happened. She was surprised to see, however, the lack of hatred. There was none. They were only worried for their pack mate, their brother. Again, she couldn't fault them, she worried too, the chance of something horrible happening.

By his love for her, Alice knew Jacob could never kill her, but for Alice, she could. It would be on accident. One graze of her teeth and Jacob would die. She would forever worry about it, it would plague her mind, and every day that she didn't slip she would be thankful that he was with her.

Alice slid off his back, and straightened her clothes. Then, as she heard a crunching sound behind her, she turned, seeing Jasper exiting out of the woods they had come through.

"Hello, Alice." His eyes went to Jacob, who had stepped forward, his shoulder against Alice's. Jasper's neck and hands tightened.

"Hello, Jasper. This is Jacob."

Jasper elicited a growl, and Jacob bowed his head, his paw sliding forward, readying to attack. "Alice," Jasper commanded. Always the soldier.

"No, Jasper. Jacob is my mate."

He didn't believe her, he caught Edward's eye, and his features fell, and his offensive position became reposeful. "Alice." It was sad that time.

"Jacob," Alice implored pleadingly, and against his better judgment he disappeared behind the thick of the trees. They said nothing, there was only the soft breaths of her family and the labored ones of the pack.

Jacob returned as a man, buttoning his jeans. He was showing weakness, he was showing his throat to the enemy, and with that, how much he trusted Alice. He was showing that fighting was not necessary, and that he loved her enough not to. He didn't take his gaze off of Jasper though as he stood next to Alice, touching her hand lightly. Just like a dog, he was showing what was his. He may as well have peed on her for all it was doing.

Jasper looked sick, and he walked past them to join the others.

Jacob muttered, "sorry," in her ear.

She bumped his hip in response, and he grinned.

There was no more contact between them. Jacob and Alice stood off to the side, listening to Jasper give instructions, and watching as he demonstrated the techniques of fighting with every single one of them, except Alice. He paired her with Edward, which was a losing battle since neither of them could gain an upper hand on the other.

While Edward could read her mind, she could read his moves, and they were dancing around the other. It was more poetic than it was of any use, but his reasoning became clear when Jasper used the opportunity to tell Bella that was why she shouldn't worry about her, because Alice was virtually untouchable. They all knew that it was a lost cause, Bella would never stop worrying about them, being the odd little human that she was.

They were there, until daylight was nearly approaching. They retreated to their homes, promising to meet the next night. Jasper said not a word, but looked sorrowfully at her when he left.

Jacob and Alice retreated to their suite. Jacob ordered a meal meant for three and turned on the television. Alice brought out her sketches, drawing new designs for the company she desired to impossibly own one day.

Although they were in disjointed worlds, they were together. Her feet were propped against his leg, and idly he would stroke her calf, his palm to her knee grazing down her ankle, and back to her knee. They traded meaningless words. When his episode was over, he clicked the television off and shifted fully to her.

"What are you doing," he asked.

"Sketches for cocktail dresses." She showed him.

"Wow," he said, nodding, not knowing what he was really looking at. "These are good." He meant it.

Alice took them back. "I've always wanted to own a fashion business. Be the mogul of it all."

"Why don't you? You have the money."

There were many things her and Jacob never discussed, and money was one of them. Jacob had obviously not given the idea that her money was now his money. That he was rich now too.

"Because, my face would have to be seen," she explained. "After twenty years people would ask serious questions as to why I was never getting older."

"Be the phantom mogul," he suggested. "Like the man on Charlie's Angels." She giggled, but he continued, berated. "His face was never seen. He communicated through an intercom. You could do that. You could send everything through computers. They would never have to see you, and you could name a head person for all of the meetings that need to be face to face."

She nodded thoughtfully. "That could work... It would have to be a trustworthy human..." She thought of the man who dealt with their identifications and certificates. She didn't like the idea of Jasper scaring her spokesperson.

As if Jacob read her mind, he said, "Emily could do it. Sam's fiancee. She's been looking for work."

A woman who was trustworthy and knew their secret. Her children could take on the job as well. "That sounds perfect," Alice said happily, an elation filling her at a possibility for her dream to come true. She imagined everything from what would be her fist designs, what the building would look like, from all the messy bits of signing papers and approving orders. And the fashion shows she would put on... They would be a heart-stopper in France and Japan.

"I'll give you Emily's number," Jacob said before he lunged and kissed her ferociously, hungrily. "I love you, Alice."

"I love you, Jacob."

And they lost themselves in the kiss and the ideals of the future.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

The Empty Hourglass

They practiced the next night and well into the morning. Bella fell asleep on Edward's shoulder, the poor human.

What was more on Alice's attention was that Jasper still made no move to talk with her. She didn't expect no less, and it was just as well. There was nothing to say. They weren't meant to be; they were meant to be family, to be as they were then. As silly as it sounded, Jacob and Alice were like Romeo and Juliet, except they had managed to bring their families together, and it was a beautiful sight.

The wolves were less suspicious, less cautious. They worked together. Emmett played with a little one named Seth, tumbling along the ground, Emmett teaching him new moves and new ill-suited jokes. They all practiced under the watchful eye of Sam. The Alpha wasn't completely trusting.

It was turning to be a good night. Alice watched the light-hearted practice of Emmett and Seth's and her and Jacob laughed. A few of the wolves had showed up as men and boys, and were cheering Seth on, despite that he had lost the last nine times.

No one found out who won though, for there was a noise in the distant, a baby of a roar. Everyone froze, listening as the noise became louder and louder.

"They're here," Jasper said.

Edward woke Bella and before she could voice a complaint or a form a question he flipped her onto his back. They ran into the woods with Seth on their heels, masking Bella's scent as they went.

Jacob nudged his muzzle into the palm of Alice's hand. He looked up at her with a crazed sort of fun. She was keen on killing, but if that was the only way to dispel the fear that was creeping along inside of her, then she would attempt to enjoy it. For her mate's sake.

A hoard of vampires ran through then and Jacob lowered his head, ready to fight.

"Let the game begin," Emmett said joyfully.

The opposing sides met, Jacob and her split, Alice twisted off heads and limbs, remembering everything Jasper taught her, their years of training. They spent many of years hidden from human eyes as Jasper taught her how to win (although much of it was unnecessary given her vision) all so he would feel safe. If he was one day, not at her side. Little did either of them know, she would have someone quite different to spend the rest of eternity with.

Attacks from the side, from behind. Screams, growls, and cries filled the forest, reverberated half of its intensity, but in its ghostly echo it sounded more terrible.

While she foresaw every individual attack her opponent made and she was untouchable, there came the complicated matter when three advanced on her. Alice jumped backwards, avoiding swipes, but they were near-misses. There were too many, the visions couldn't come fast enough. One, a tall brunette, kicked her side, and she flew sideways.

Jacob reared his head, loosening a tiny vampire from his scruff as Emmett moved in for the kill. He ran towards her, to help at the same time Jasper did.

They both took hold of her attacker, Jacob's jaw at one's throat, and Jasper's teeth on the other's. Alice flipped the small being over her shoulder, snapping its head off as she did so. When she spun to her next victim, she saw out of her peripheral sight that Jasper and Jacob were gone, fighting others at opposite ends.

The battle raged on and on. The sun traveled over the sky disappearing beyond the trees. Then, the sun disappeared altogether. In replacement was a purple fire reaching the sky, a wolf being crushed to the ground by five young vampires.

She gasped, and tore herself away. Jasper tackling a newborn before he pounced on him.

Alice searched the haze of the war, and locked on Jacob, a boy bearing his teeth inches from his hide. If Alice had a beating heart, it would've stopped.

"Alice!" Jasper yelled after her. "Alice, stop!"

She wasn't one of his soldiers. She wasn't a soldier. She didn't follow orders. She wasn't his anymore. All that mattered was Jacob. He was her world and the only reason to exist. She wondered how it could have ever been otherwise. She lived a life that wasn't a life and wasn't worth walking through, but it led her to him and that was worth it all.

Alice grabbed the boys waist and wrestled him to the ground. His jaw broke, and his arm was torn off. Emmett took hold of his head and it was gone in his hands.

Alice went to Jacob's human side, hissing through her teeth at the blood that was pouring from his shoulder, that slowed, and healed. She heaved a great sigh. He wasn't bitten. The wound wouldn't have healed otherwise.

"Jacob?"

"Son-of-a-bitch!"

She giggled as he leapt to his paws, seamlessly morphing. She kissed his nose, and he nudged her hip.

The broken bodies were piling up, and separate sections of fires were burning wildly. She became frustrated many times over Jacob and Jasper's protection over her. She was hardly allowed to do a thing as they took out anyone who came near her.

The enemies were thinning, and they were breathing easier – in a way of speaking. Rosalie lit the last pile of limbs on fire, and stood, flipping her hair over her shoulder.

A little girl with short brown hair and a dirty face surrendered and sat in the midst of the clearing. She was all bones with ragged clothing. She looked worse than a rogue vampire would, like she had been homeless.

Jasper was on one knee behind her, his hand covering her eyes. "Be still," he told her gratingly, but Alice saw the softness in his eyes when he looked upon her.

Carlisle questioned the newborn and she answered without hesitation. Her name was Bree Tanner, they were turned purposefully and were trained to attack a human girl with the sweetest scent they had ever smelled. They were all victims, and she was the only survivor.

"Release her, Jasper. We don't have anything to fear from her."

"She's a newborn, Carlisle."

Carlisle didn't budge, only turned on an urgency in his visage.

Jasper didn't like the idea, it was obvious by the clenching of his teeth and his hard golden eyes, but he did as Carlisle said.

She looked up to him. "Who are you?"

"Jasper."

"Are you the psychic?"

He laughed, charmed by the innocence of the question. Innocence that was always the way to melt the stone of Jasper's heart. It reawakened the need to protect, and while he felt everything that she felt, he knew that there was nothing to fear from her at the moment. It was a deadly combination from the cute young girl.

"I'm the empath," he answered softly. "Pleased to meet your acquaintance, Ms. Tanner." He bowed and the old-fashioned manner lit the girl's sad disposition.

Carlisle and Esme shared a delighted look. Alice brimmed with hope.

Bree's expression dropped then, and she told them about a time that she overheard a conversation between her maker and cloaked vampires that she was fearful of. They talked about another army being made to finish off what they called the "Cullens." It made their surname sound more like a disease than a last name.

"It's not over," Rosalie spat incredulously.

"Edward was right," Emmett said, "they won't stop until we're gone."

Carlisle addressed the wolves. "Is there any notice from Edward and Bella?"

They crouched their heads in the answer of no and Esme let out a small whimper of worry. Or of knowledge. Alice couldn't tell, but it sent a swift kick in her gut. Where were her siblings?

"Are you ready for another round," Emmett asked, steel edging his tone.

The wolves bobbed their heads up and down.

Carlisle turned to Alice and Jacob. "Check on Edward and Bella."

Alice hugged her father and mother, and each of her sisters and brothers. Jacob spoke without words to his family. She climbed on his back, and they set off for the woods.

There was a stillness before the sound of movement in the distance. Their hourglass was empty.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The Last Remains

Footprints... Bloody paw prints... A burnt circle in the ground where purple flames had died down. Beside the ashes was a gold watch that Alice had given Edward for Christmas. Next to the watch was the engagement ring that he kept on him at all times, ready to slip it onto Bella's finger when she weakened her resolve to be married. Alice placed them in her pocket as she crumbled there, her knees in the snow. Jacob, caressed her back.

"Edward," she rasped, a tone she was unable to recall making in her long history.

She didn't recall being human; all she had was her vampire existence, so for the first time in all of that existence, she hated how she couldn't cry, couldn't properly grieve. She never had to grieve in such a way before, and she lost her brother and all she could do was stand up and go on.

"Where's Bella?"  
Jacob trudged through the snow, it melting in his fervent path. She followed.

"She wouldn't go far without Edward," Jacob muttered.

"Unless someone made her..." She didn't like that thought, but she knew it before they found her, she knew that if Edward was dead (or whatever he was) so was Bella. It was a fact. Even if by some chance she did survive, she wouldn't for much longer. When Edward had left her for her safety she had jumped off a cliff. She didn't buy that it was for recreational purposes, as she had been told.

Past a boulder off of the mountain laid Bella. She was sprawled out, teeth marks in her neck, her skin gray, not a drop of blood left inside of her. A dry cut was marked down her arm, a jagged rock clutched in her hand.

Beyond her was a small and scrawny wolf. Seth... He was weaker and tinier in death. More like a giant toy animal than a real wolf. A real boy. He was only a boy.

Jacob shook in anger, and punched the boulder, chunks of it crumbling around his fist. He shook in sadness, and fell to his knees alongside Bella. He leaned over her, and wept into her stomach.

Bella's trademark deep brown eyes were vacant, unknowing to her best friend's torment, and Alice moved her hand over them, closing them. It almost looked like she was sleeping then, but the truth was, that Bella was never that still or quiet. She couldn't escape the hard truth in her mind that her brother and sister were dead... They were gone.

Alice stood stunned for long minutes. Darkness had descended over them, shrouding them in truth, urging them to leave.

She took Jacob's hand, kissed his neck. "I'm sorry, Jacob."

"Me too."

"We have to go to the others. We'll come back for her. We'll deliver her to Charlie in the morning."

Poor Charlie... Alice would have to do something for him. He couldn't be left alone, for Bella was nearly all he had left. Her and Jake would stay with him, would help him with the arrangements of his funeral.

She would make funeral arrangements for her own family, send them to Italy. Rosalie would be happy, to finally have a "resting" place. Her own dream of her own death.

She wouldn't send Edward, she decided then. He would want to be with Bella. She would gather the ashes. She would make up an excuse of a camping fire gone wrong. She would burn Bella as well. Maybe that would be easier for Charlie, not to see the bloodless face of his daughter. It would eliminate questions. The other details she would determine later.

"Lets go, Jake." She stepped back, allowing him sufficient room to shift. When he did, she got on his back, and they raced through the woods again, to find the rest of their family.

They slowed as they smelled smoke.

"No..."

They came to the edge of the clearing and saw purple fires and bodies turning to ash. The Volturi glided between them, happy of the outcome. Happy for all the deaths that had taken place. The losses they didn't know how to count. Carlisle and Esme, Emmett and Rosalie, and Jasper and Bree. Jasper liked Bree, it was no doubt that he protected her and all of them. The Volturi were ruthless, though. Certainly Carlisle and Jasper tried to reason with them.

The air stunk with wolf fur and blood. It ranked the air and it sent a horrible jolt through her. The werewolves were dead, too. All of them. Jacob's pack was gone.

Alice ran her hand through Jacob's fur, silently urging him to be quiet. If they saw Jacob... He would be dead, too. There was nothing Alice could do to stop it, for they would kill her as well. She whispered in his ear, "the reservation. Please, Jake, move. We can't be seen here."

He turned slowly, and back into the woods they ran. She whispered to him all the way, calming him. "I'll help Charlie and you help your tribe. We'll leave in a few months. We can go to Alaska. You can start a car shop, and I can start my business. Without vampires in Forks, the tribe won't be producing anymore werewolves. We'll both be safe. You'll like the Denali Clan there. We can visit here often. It'll be okay, Jacob. I promise."

His chest rumbled in agreement, but a large tennis ball sized tears were absorbed in his fur.

Alice laid her head between his shoulder blades. As clear as watching television she remembered the first time she met Jasper. She remembered coming to the Cullen's. She remembered holidays and moves, and chess games with Edward, and watching the fights between her brothers. She remembered chatting with Bella and dressing her. The music Edward played that drifted through whatever house they were living in... Esme's designs... Rosalie's room, covered in mirrors...

Nothing would ever be the same again. She lost her whole family in a matter of hours, and the majority of them being vampires, she didn't know where they were. Did such a heaven exist for them? She didn't want to think of an alternative. Bella believed that they had a soul. So did Jacob. That was good enough for her. It was the best she could cling to.

They would comfort each other. They would do good in the world, like their families.

* * *

A/N: This is my last Twilight story. It's been a good run that I've greatly enjoyed. Thank you all! Much love.


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